"ij" makes a long "i" sound - e.g. "kijk", the Dutch word for "look" (you will hear children saying it a lot) sounds like "kike"
"ui" makes an "ow" sound - e.g. "huis" sounds like "house" and that is exactly what it means ('thuis" means "home", the "h" is silent)
"oe" usually makes an "oo" sound - e.g. "hoek" and "boek" mean and sound like "hook" and "book" respectively
"oo" usually makes a long "o" sound - e.g. "brood" means "bread" and sounds like "brode"
"g" sounds like a guttural/raspy "h", kind of like you're trying to cough up some phlegm ;-) (think the "ch" in the Hebrew word "L'Chaim")
"j" is pronounced like "y". There's a local grocery store named "Jumbo" and is pronounced "yumbo"
(Speaking of grocery stores, they don't accept credit cards. Only debit cards and cash)
Since NL is a small country they love things to be "gezellig" (cozy) and often add "je" (or some permutation depending upon their spelling rules) to make something small/cozy. "Kat" means "kat" and "katje" means "kitten". HOWEVER, some words have been permanently mutated to include the "je". e.g. Kopje koffie is used regardless of how big the cup of coffee is. Go figure.
"Coffeeshops" are always pot shops (all 1 word with coffee spelled in English). A "koffie shop" is where you can get coffee.
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